


Save the Empty (and Save Me)

by Hallie_Blue



Series: Careless. Care Less. [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Theo Raeken, M/M, Mason is kind of a bitch when he's scared, Spoilers 6x18 and 6x19
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 09:29:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12129516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hallie_Blue/pseuds/Hallie_Blue
Summary: Of course he cares. He cares more than he's willing to admit and it scares him more than the Anuk-Ite does.‘Maybe you care wrong?’ A nagging little voice in Theo's mind suggests.OrI really hated how Mason said that "you can't take pain if you don't care" line since Theo's face and behavior when Mason said that was clearly screaming "But I do care!"So I decided to write a thing about how much this  comment from Mason fucked with Theo's head.





	Save the Empty (and Save Me)

Theo _wants_ to take Mason's pain. He's legitimately, honestly does. He doesn’t get why it ~~never works~~ isn't working. Maybe it's a Chimera thing. He decides it must be a Chimera thing because he cares. Of course he cares. He cares more than he's willing to admit and it scares him more than the Anuk-Ite does.

 

 _‘Maybe you care wrong?’_ A nagging little voice in Theo's mind suggests.

 

It sounds mechanical and familiar. Unwelcome. It's just in his head. He knows that much because the person who killed its owner while possessed is sitting right in front of him ~~also telling him he doesn't care _enough_~~ , so he has no reason to buckle at the knees like it's just uttered the words “Condition: Terminal” unfortunately reasonable and rational behavior doesn't seem to be a choice anymore. The Anuk-Ite is here, or half of it is at least, and it's making Theo remember…. _things._

 

Theo longs for the days where his enemies names were almost always unknown or trivial enough of a detail he could ignore it long enough to kill them without guilt but right now all he thinks is “ _This guy is named Aaron. He's a freshman in high school. He plays lacrosse.”_

 

Theo wonders what it's like, to be that normal. A high schooler who plays on the lacrosse team. Having a name that people _didn't_ associate with unfathomable cruelty. He wonders what it's like to be wanted. To be missed.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

But he does. He cares. He's willing to die if that would actually prove anything other than how ~~irreparably~~ remarkably damaged his psyche is.

 

He hopes if something happened to Liam he'd be able to take _his_ pain. If no one else, Liam had to be the one person Theo could do it for. Liam means more to Theo than anyone else in the world.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

It's been more than a day since he'd seen Liam.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

More than a day since the Anuk-Ite merged into one entity.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

More than a day since he'd tried ~~and failed~~ to take Mason's pain.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

More than a day and Theo is healing slower than normal even for a Chimera.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

He's a little nauseous too but that just could be the effect Mason's words are having as they replay in his mind and nothing to do with being attacked by half a fear monster. (Just once Theo would like a string a sentence together that sounded remotely like something a normal eighteen year old would say.)

 

Cell towers are down in Beacon Hills. Three of them. Even if he had the phone numbers of anyone in the pack besides Scott, reaching any of them would be near impossible.

 

He hasn't seen Liam in almost a day. He's gone ~~months~~ longer without seeing him in the past. He shouldn't care this much.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

He closes his eyes as his heart races. He's isn't crying, but it's a close call.

 

Mason's words echo in his mind the same way Tara ripping his heart out hits him full force every time he tries to sleep. Mason and Tara would get along, he decides. They could bond over the best ways to remind him nothing he does will ever be enough to wash away his past.

 

It's a bitter thought from the shattered mind of a ~~broken~~ ~~hollow~~ ~~dead inside~~ _mess_ of an eighteen year old lab rat.

 

He wonders when he _started_ caring? Or even started caring about caring?

 

He shouldn't because he knows deep down what the answer is. The exact second he and Liam were facing off against the Ghost Riders and Theo decided to shove Liam into the elevator and save him instead of saving himself. The second when Liam pulled him out of Hell. Liam breaking the sword. Liam saving his life. Liam.

 

It all came back to Liam.

 

_“You can't take pain if you don't care.”_

 

Theo does care. Just not enough, not about the right person. Not about Mason or the rest of the pack. He only wants Liam. Only _cares_ about Liam.

 

Theo's not sure if it's fixation or obsession or maybe something healthier and saner like love...but he cares. Cares enough to start up his Tacoma and drive on instinct to find Liam. Cares enough that he's driving and knowing where to go without actually having to know because he can feel Liam in every rush of blood through his veins.

 

Theo cares.

  


He can't take Mason's pain but that's okay because Theo Raeken cares about someone other than Theo Raeken for once...and right now that's enough.

  
  
  



End file.
